Chapter 16: The Palace Examination Ruined (16)
Students were still entering the venue one after another. On the city wall, Zhu Qingchen was ready to leave with the emperor.
He knew that the emperor was not so kind as to bring him to the city wall to see the students. It turned out that he was testing him.
Zhu Qingchen followed the emperor down the stairs and looked at his back thoughtfully.
Now it seems that the person the emperor is afraid of is Prince Jing.
He didn't want Prince Jing to know that he was reading the memorials, as he knew all the affairs of state.
He even knew the people around Prince Jing, and the emperor also knew Pei Xuan, a student.
Zhu Qingchen said to the system: "It was really dangerous just now. I was almost arrested."
The system said: "Thanks to me for rushing to save you."
"..." Zhu Qingchen choked, "Come on, you only have one ball, and you rushed over and stepped on my hand, why didn't you step on him?"
"He can't feel me." The system said confidently, "He can't even see me, how can I step on him?"
"..." Zhu Qingchen choked again, "So you stepped on me hard?"
"I want you to feel pain, and then let go."
"He was the one holding me, not me holding him, how could I let go?"
The system paused, then said, "I feel that strange aura again."
Zhu Qingchen looked back and didn't find anything unusual: "Don't change the subject, we are talking about you stepping on me now."
"I didn't..." The system met Zhu Qingchen's gaze, "Okay, I'm sorry, I was wrong."
Zhu Qingchen snorted, turned around, and followed the emperor down the city wall.
*
The students had been taking exams for three days in a row, so Zhu Qingchen had a lot more free time. He ate and drank in his room, prayed to Buddha, and told fortunes. Occasionally, he would go for a walk in the garden with a few old school officials.
"Old Xu's student usually looks good, so he should be able to do it this time."
"Don't talk about me. Lao Gao got the first incense this year."
"Hey, Lao Meng, Lao Meng's students are OK."
The old school officials had smiles on their faces, but all they said were words of flattery to each other.
Zhu Qingchen followed behind, feeling a little helpless.
You obviously want your students to become the top scorer, but you don't say it and let others say it.
Really, we are all educated people, but we are so hypocritical.
At this time, the old school officials all turned their heads.
"Don't tell me, Xiao Zhu's students are not bad either. Pei Xuan and Liu An from the Liu family might all be top scorers, the Yong'an Twins."
Zhu Qingchen waved his hands quickly and put on a fake smile: "No, no, they are both really stupid, little idiots, even more stupid than me."
——Zhu Qingchen, you are so hypocritical!
The old school officials nodded, and did not even bother to be polite with him. They even said along with him: "You are stupid enough, and there are even more stupid than you... Oh, it's okay, there is still a chance."
“…”
Zhu Qingchen choked and pursed his lips in grievance. Why did things change when it came to him?
Three days later, as soon as the spring examination was over, the examiners immediately sorted the papers and sent them to the palace, covered the students' names with red paper, and then handed them over to the library.
Zhu Qingchen followed the senior academic officials and graded papers in the library.
Each examiner must read each paper at least once and make a mark. If there is any objection, several examiners must discuss it together.
There were so many papers that Zhu Qingchen had to light candles and work for several days before he finished grading them all.
After grading the papers, another group of examiners ranked them. Zhu Qingchen could not participate and could only wait quietly.
In this way, I was busy for more than half a month.
At the end of February, the results of the spring examination were announced.
That morning, just as the official who was in charge of announcing the results had just finished writing down the names and was coming out of the government office with the red list and paste, someone shouted, "The results are out! The results are out!"
The man ran through the streets and alleys, and in an instant, the entire Yong'an City was awakened by him.
Students who lived nearby immediately went out and came to take a look.
Zhu Qingchen rode in a carriage and stopped at the street corner.
According to the rules, he was not allowed to leave the palace, but out of His Majesty's grace, he specially sent Eunuch Yang to bring him out to watch the announcement of the results.
Zhu Qingchen wanted to get off the carriage, but was stopped by Eunuch Yang: "Master, it is better to watch from the carriage. It is inconvenient to go forward."
"Okay." Zhu Qingchen obediently retreated into the carriage, lifted the curtain and looked outside.
The news spread quickly, and before the officials had finished posting all the red lists, a group of people had gathered in front.
Zhu Qingchen sighed. It would be meaningless if he couldn’t go over to take a look.
He looked at the list before dawn.
Pei Xuan and Liu An are both at the top and their rankings are not low either.
The other students, Song Feng, Xu Rong, and Chen Zheng, all performed well. Although their rankings were not as good as Pei Xuan and Liu An, they were all on the list.
Zhu Qingchen propped up his head and looked outside.
The lists have all been posted and several of his students have come over.
“Hit!”
"Senior Brother Liu, you got it too!"
Liu An stood among a group of noisy fellow apprentices with his hands folded. He just curled the corners of his lips, unperturbed by fame or disgrace, and remained unmoved.
Seeing how happy they were, Zhu Qingchen couldn't help but smile.
Not long after, Pei Xuan, who lived outside the city, also came.
He stood in the crowd, stood on tiptoe, and looked up.
Liu An glanced at him and said calmly, "No need to look, you are on the list, two places behind me."
It was too noisy around, and Pei Xuan seemed not to hear it. He looked carefully twice until he saw his name.
He finally reacted and turned around with a look of surprise: "Senior Brother Liu, I got it! You got it too!"
Pei Xuan was like a puppy, happily circling around Senior Brother Liu.
Liu An was helpless. Didn't he tell him just now? What was there to go around in circles?
I'm so stupid. I really want to pretend that I don't know him.
Suddenly, Pei Xuan stopped, paused, and bowed towards Zhu Qingchen's carriage.
Liu An turned around and bowed quickly.
From a distance, Zhu Qingchen waved at them.
Just at this moment, a little girl of seven or eight years old passed by the carriage with a basket of flowers.
Zhu Qingchen poked his head out and asked, "Little girl, how much is this basket of apricot blossoms?"
The little girl raised her head and said, "If you want all of them, I'll give you ten copper coins."
Zhu Qingchen touched his sleeves and said, "I'll give you twenty copper coins. Take the flowers and distribute them to the students in front of you, one for each student."
"good."
Zhu Qingchen also took a branch of apricot blossom himself.
The little girl took the copper coin with both hands, put it in her arms, and ran forward with the flower basket on her shoulder, giving the flowers to the students: "The teacher asked me to bring them here."
Liu An and Pei Xuan each took one, Liu An held it in his hand and Pei Xuan pinned it on his collar, looking very beautiful.
Zhu Qingchen smiled at them and decided not to keep them for long. After a while, he ordered the carriage to go back to the palace.
Liu An and Pei Xuan didn't want to stay here to check their rankings, so they went back to prepare for the palace examination.
Liu An told him: "In a few days, the officials will come to your house and bring you the clothes you will wear for the palace examination. Wash the clothes and dry them as soon as possible. After drying, fold them and put them under the box. Don't make them wrinkled." "If you like, go to the spice shop in the west of the city and buy a few sachets. Put them together. Don't put too many, or the smell will be too strong and suffocate people around you."
Pei Xuan listened carefully.
If the Master is not here, Senior Brother Liu will be the Master.
Liu An continued, "On the day of the palace examination, I'm afraid you'll have to enter the palace early. If you're worried you won't make it in time, you can move to Liu's mansion. If you think you can make it in time, you can get up earlier on the day of the palace examination."
Pei Xuan said: "The teacher also asked me to move to the school official residence before entering the palace."
"Then it's your choice, whether you want to move here or go to study at the government office. Make your own preparations, and send someone to let me know when you've made your decision."
"good."
"Go back and review your lessons." Liu An raised his foot to leave.
Pei Xuan covered his sleeves and said, "The results will be announced today. I'll invite Senior Brother Liu to have dinner at Guanchao Tower. Thank you, Senior Brother Liu, for taking care of me during this period."
Liu An frowned and glanced at him: "You have this money, why don't you go to the inn and book a room. Besides, the palace examination is coming soon, how much time will it take to eat a meal? Go back and study."
Pei Xuan nodded obediently: "Yes."
Liu An got on the carriage, and Pei Xuan also prepared to walk back.
Suddenly, Prince Jing came over on horseback.
He saw Pei Xuan, raised his whip and waved it at him: "Pei Xuan, congratulations."
Pei Xuan took a step back and returned the greeting: "Thank you, Your Majesty."
Prince Jing smiled and said, "I promised you that day that if you passed the exam, I would use the ingot of gold to treat you to a meal at Guanchao Tower. Are you free now?"
Pei Xuan looked reluctant, but didn't know how to refuse.
He had never discussed it with Prince Jing, it was Prince Jing who forced it on him.
At this time, the Liu family's carriage turned around and stopped in front of Pei Xuan.
Liu An lifted the curtain and said to him, "Pei Xuan, didn't you invite me to have dinner at Guanchao Tower? Why don't you come up?"
"Yes, I am coming."
Liu An looked back at Prince Jing and smiled at him: "Please forgive me, Your Majesty. This kid asked me for favors himself. Don't let him escape."
Prince Jing's expression changed, but out of consideration for the Liu family, he didn't say anything in the end.
Pei Xuan climbed onto the carriage, Liu An saluted King Jing, and the two of them left in the carriage.
Liu An turned back and returned to his cold and indifferent look: "The palace examination is the priority these days, so you should be careful."
"I know." Pei Xuan nodded. "The teacher told me to exercise, and I exercise every day. If King Jing sends people to tie me up, I can knock down three of them."
He is quite confident.
Liu An held his forehead and leaned against the wall of the carriage.
Pei Xuan glanced at him carefully: "Brother, am I giving you a headache again?"
"You asked me to pay for a meal, and you made me lose half an hour of reading time. Pei Xuan, you are really scheming."
Pei Xuan:?
I'm not, I don't.
Senior brother, I am innocent!
On the other side, Zhu Qingchen also returned to the palace in a carriage.
He pinned the pink apricot blossom on his hair crown and swung it vigorously in front of Eunuch Yang like a tumbler. The apricot blossom also swayed with it: "Eunuch, does it look good? Does it look good?"
Eunuch Yang smiled and said, "It looks good."
"It seems that my worship of Manjusri Bodhisattva has been useful. I have to continue worshipping him when I go back." Zhu Qingchen solemnly introduced to Eunuch Yang, "The two students just now are my two best students. I am counting on them to return with a top scorer."
Eunuch Yang still smiled: "Pride and complacency are not a good thing."
Zhu Qingchen put his hands on his hips and said, "It's okay. I can be a little proud now. I can be proud in front of my father-in-law, but not in front of the old school officials. They are so narrow-minded and even said that I am a little fool."
Eunuch Yang looked at him with a complicated expression: "They are narrow-minded, and you are not narrow-minded either."
"It's just like a eunuch taking care of a little eunuch. The eunuch will show off in front of them, right? But he won't show off in front of other eunuchs."
"That's right."
As the weather got warmer, the carriage curtains were rolled up.
Thus they walked along the long street and returned to the palace.
Zhu Qingchen returned to the palace, unaware that the apricot blossom hairpin he wore had started a trend in Yong'an City.
The results were announced today, and all the students who passed the exam followed the example of Zhu Fuzi and pinned a branch of apricot blossoms to their ears to share in the joy.
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